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Sunday, 26 April 2015

It doesn't seem possible that another season is almost complete but that's the position we find ourselves in as the Football League reached its penultimate weekend and most of the non-league competitions in the London area concluded yesterday.

The biggest story was of course Watford sealing promotion back to the Premier League after a break of eight years following a 2-0 win at Brighton. The title isn't theirs just yet but it will be if Bournemouth lose their game in hand against Bolton on Monday.

As we at TLFG Towers hoped, Barnet held on to claim the Conference title on Saturday and return to the Football League after a two-year absence.

At the other end, despite losing to Southport, Welling United just kept their heads above water and can look forward to another season in the fifth tier.

In the Conference South, Boreham Wood claimed the runners-up spot with a nervy 4-3 win at Chelmsford City. This means they'll have home advantage for the second leg of their play-off semi with Havant & Waterlooville and the one legged final if they make it.

On Saturday I set up QPR Runners on social media

The main controversy surrounds what will happen in the Isthmian League Premier Division. The play-off schedule and who will contest the games is hanging in the air after the FA found fifth-placed Enfield Town guilty of fielding an ineligible player earlier in the season. The case is far from cut and dried and to many it would seem that if anyone is guilty of anything it isn't the club. Most neutrals, including myself, will hope to see them claim their place and take on Hendon later in the week.

What happens to Enfield will also affect the Middlesex Charity Cup Final. They have qualified for this and it's set to be held on Monday 4 May at their own ground but this is also the same day as the Isthmian play-off final so the cup final could move.

In the two divisions below, a couple of TLFG sides have made it to the post season with Thurrock and Whyteleafe making it in the Division 1 North and South play-offs respectively. Neither have home advantage in the one-legged semi-finals.

In Step 5, the Combined Counties League Premier Division title went to Molesey while Farleigh Rovers finally managed to get over the line to win the Division 1 crown.

A mention this week must also go to Harrow Borough who completed their great escape from relegation with a 1-0 win at Leatherhead.

Great credit should be given to manager Steve Baker who was brought in from Chipstead in January with the team in dire straits. The club played 21 games under his stewardship, winning 13 and losing only five. They ultimately finished 16th and have also booked a place in two cup finals.

Boro have now maintained Isthmian top-flight status every year since 1979 which is no mean feat given some of the far bigger clubs who have fallen away during that time.

Finally, regular readers will know I'm also an enthusiastic runner. Yesterday I completed my 50th parkrun at Wormwood Scrubs, taking my overall total to 68. With it also being London Marathon weekend, I decided yesterday to set up a QPR Runners group on Facebook and Twitter. Apart from encouraging fellow Rs to sign up and share their stories and pics, I also want to try and encourage fans of QPR and their opponents to meet on matchdays and take part in the free to enter Scrubs parkrun as a bit of pre-match fun. If you're a Rangers or Newcastle United fan, then you, and everyone else for that matter, are very welcome to take part on 16 May at 9am.

That's it from me, enjoy your week.

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

Please follow this link or click on the tab at the top of the page for all the information you need about how to get a ticket, what's currently available to non-members at London's biggest clubs and any other special offers or promotions which might be running.

THE WEEK AHEAD

With a lot of divisions having finished I've bulked things up by including a few games from Step 7/Level 11 and there's some women's football too. As a result there are still over 50 matches in the London area over the next eight days (I've included the Bank Holiday too) so there's plenty to choose from whatever your budget.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you traveljust in case a game has been called offor venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found in the following match map. If you've never used it before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the left side of the map page to make sure you get all the information.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

Next up is this week's TLFG match recommendations where I list some games which I think could be worth a watch. Given there are lots of finals and play-offs then I'm going to list more than the usual 10 in chronological order so big games don't get missed off. Also, remember that this list will be updated as play-off results come in during the week.

Monday 27 April

FA Youth Cup Final second leg - Chelsea U18s host their counterparts from Manchester City and hold a 3-1 lead from the first leg. Tickets must be purchased by 4pm on Monday. (Stamford Bridge, 745pm - Ticket info)

West Ham United v Burnley - the Hammers host struggling Burnley who are battling for Premier League survival (3pm, Ticket info)

Watford v Sheffield Wednesday - the Hornets guaranteed promotion on Saturday but go for the Championship title in this final game of the season (1215pm, SOLD OUT)

Brentford v Wigan Athletic - this will decide if Brentford make the Championship play-offs and could see the Latics relegated if they don't go down in midweek (1215pm, SOLD OUT)

Charlton Athletic v Bournemouth - depending on midweek results Bournemouth could either be fighting Watford for the title or simply trying to secure second place and automatic promotion. Charlton have nothing to play for (1215pm, Ticket info)

AFC Wimbledon v Cheltenham Town - if you struggle to get in at any of the above, then this could be your chance to watch some pro football. The Dons have nothing to play for while Cheltenham have already been relegated - they will want to avoid finishing bottom of League Two though. (3pm, Ticket info)

Boreham Wood v Havant & Waterlooville - second leg of the Conference South play-off semi-final, the Wood finished the regular season as runners-up. (3pm, Club info)

Southern Counties East League Cup Final - Greenwich Borough face Tunbridge Wells at Welling United for a decent bit of silverware. (3pm)

Sunday, 19 April 2015

With the season coming to a close over the next few weeks, several London clubs have achieved notable successes over the last few days.

On Wednesday Hendon won the Isthmian League Cup against fellow promotion contenders and TLFG team Grays Athletic in what was by all accounts a thrilling 3-2 win.

The same night, Phoenix Sports made sure of the Southern Counties East League title with a narrow 2-1 win at local rivals Erith & Belvedere.

On Saturday the titles continued to head the way of TLFG teams as Bromley secured the Conference South with a comfortable win over Weston-Super-Mare and Haringey Borough made sure of top spot in the Essex Senior League while cheered on by singing superstar and big fan Emeli Sandé - who knew?

Saturday ended with Arsenal making it to the FA Cup Final after a hard fought extra-time win over Reading and Chelsea made almost certain of winning the Premier League with victory over Manchester United.

This Saturday will hopefully see Barnet crowned as Conference champions and a number of our local sides seal play-off spots or make sure of avoiding relegation.

One side hoping to do the latter are Isthmian League Premier Division minnows VCD Athletic who are running a 'Pay What You Want' promotion for their final game against Billericay Town. Starting just above the bottom four, a win will be enough to keep them up.

Talking of 'Pay What You Want', you may remember Hampton & Richmond Borough were offering this for their final home game against Bury Town on Saturday. Well unsurprisingly it was a big success with 601 through the turnstiles - an increase of 60% on their average.

Finally, I was supposed to go to the Dulwich Hamlet v Maidstone United game. It was all-ticket and a capacity crowd of 3,000 saw the seventh-tier clubs produce a 0-0 draw which effectively, given their huge goal difference, gave the visitors the Isthmian League title. I ended up babysitting my daughter instead.

Enjoy the week ahead and I hope your team brings you joy (unless you're a West Ham fan - nothing personal).

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

Please follow this link or click on the tab at the top of the page for all the information you need about how to get a ticket, what's currently available to non-members at London's biggest clubs and any other special offers or promotions which might be running.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are 70 matches in the London area over the next seven days so there's plenty to choose from whatever your budget.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you traveljust in case a game has been called offor venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found in the following match map. If you've never used it before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the left side of the map page to make sure you get all the information.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

Next up is this week's TLFG match recommendations where I list a few games which I think could be worth a watch. If I miss one that you think should get a mention then add your own in the comments section below.

TLFG TOP 10

1. Arsenal v Chelsea - after both enjoying success in big games over the weekend, the Premier League's top two lock horns for a game which could leave the Blues 13 points clear if they win. Given there will be only five games to go at that point, the title race will look even more over than it already does. Even though the game is at the Emirates, the Gunners' recent record against Chelsea is poor - they are winless in seven in all competitions against their west London rivals scoring only twice and conceding a whopping 14 times. However, Arsenal are in their best form for a long time so should push Chelsea hard. (Premier League, Sunday 26 April, 4pm. Ticket info)

2. Queens Park Rangers v West Ham United - the day before we have another London derby to look forward to. While the Hammers' season has been over for a long time, QPR are scrapping for every point they can get to avoid relegation. Their recent displays have been decent so they will feel they have a good chance here. If they get anything less than a win then it will be as good as over as their fixtures are few and tough. It's nearly 11 years since Rangers last managed a win over their east London visitors when both were Championship teams. They badly need a repeat result. (Premier League, Saturday 25 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

3. Fulham v Middlesbrough - two and half miles to the south across the same borough, the Cottagers host their final home game of the season against title chasing Boro. Fulham are effectively safe but need a point to be mathematically sure of avoiding the drop from the Championship. Their Teesside opponents are third just a point behind leaders Watford so a win could put them top with just one game to go. If the importance of this match isn't enough of a draw, Fulham are also hosting a Fans Day and selling all tickets for a reduced rate of £25. (Championship, Saturday 25 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

4. Millwall v Derby County - another game of huge importance in the Championship is taking place at the New Den at the same time. Like Fulham, the Lions are also fighting to avoid the drop but face a much bigger challenge as they are in the bottom three. A lot will hinge on their midweek game at Blackburn. If they win they'll be just a point short of safety with two games to go, giving them a great chance of staying up. However, if they lose then this will become a must win game. The Rams, on the other hand, have blown their leadership of the division and know a place in the play-offs is as good as it will get this season. Given they heartbreakingly lost to a last-minute goal in last season's final, they would've hoped to have avoided this scenario. However, the three teams below them are still in touch and can make sure they end up with nothing so it's pretty much a must win for them too. (Championship, Saturday 25 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

5. Leyton Orient v Sheffield United - last weekend's draw against fellow strugglers Crewe extended Orient's unbeaten run to four games as things started to look really promising for Fabio Liverani's side. Since then things have turned sour with back-to-back defeats culminating in the 6-1 humiliation at promotion contenders MK Dons on Saturday. Those results have seen them slip back into the bottom four with three games to go but on paper they are absolute stinkers against sides in the top seven. In midweek they travel to Greater Manchester to face Rochdale who can still squeak into the play-offs if they beat the O's so that will be tough. Then on Saturday they welcome Sheffield United who, on attendance, are League One's biggest club. The Yorkshire side have already booked a play-off spot but have yet to decide whether they will finish fifth or sixth. To make things look even gloomier, the east London club haven't managed a win over the Blades since 1983 - all in all it's looking a bit grim. (League One, Saturday 25 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

6. Barnet v Gateshead - Saturday marks the final day of the regular season in the Conference and it's beautifully poised with the top two, Barnet and Bristol Rovers, just a point apart. Both teams have home games but it's hard to guess which is tougher. Rovers host lowly Alfreton but they really need to win to avoid relegation so will be fighting for their lives. The Bees have Gateshead who were play-off contenders for long periods this season but now have nothing to play for and face a long journey down from the north east. Barnet are in pole position so it's theirs for the taking. (Conference National, Saturday 25 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

7. Welling United v Southport - at the other end of the table, the Wings know a win will keep them up. New boss Loui Fazakerley seems to have been an inspired appointment as he has guided a struggling side to a position where survival is in their own hands. Southport are just a place above them in the table and although mathematically in with a chance of relegation, their goal difference should be enough to keep them up. Matches between these two tend to produce a lot of goals with last season's match ending in a 4-3 win for the hosts so hopefully we'll get more of the same. (Conference National, Saturday 25 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

8. Essex Senior Cup Final - the week gets under way with a cup final at Dagenham & Redbridge's ground on the east side of town. This year's final sees holders Concord Rangers, of the Conference South, look to defend their title against Billericay Town from the Isthmian Premier. Both sides have had good seasons which will see them finish just short of the play-offs in their respective divisions. This is good for us as neither will face any league distractions as they go into this. Although Concord play at a higher level, Billericay have a more illustrious history in the competition which begun in 1883/84 and I can see it being close. (Essex Senior Cup Final, Monday 20 April, 745pm. Ticket info)

9. Enfield Town v Witham Town - the Isthmian League wraps up this weekend too and north Londoners Enfield need to win their final match against already relegated Witham to secure a top-five finish and a place in the play-offs. The season got off to a pretty average start and their status as promotion contenders has only really emerged over the last month after an impressive string of wins. After losing to Dulwich on Easter Monday they dropped out of the top five but another seven points from the following three games has put them back in so that shot at the play-offs is really theirs to lose. (Isthmian League Premier Division, Saturday 25 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

10. Farleigh Rovers v Staines Lammas - last week it was mentioned how long-term leaders Farleigh only needed a point from their game against Worcester Park for the title. Well they lost it and nearest challengers AFC Croydon Athletic won meaning Farleigh go into their final game in second. A draw will still be enough though as the Rams completed their fixtures with that win on Saturday so they will be powerless to affect the outcome. Staines are a decent midtable side but lost comfortably when the sides last met way back in August. Despite this, Farleigh look nervous and could choke. (Combined Counties League Division 1, Saturday 25 April, 3pm. Club info)

If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or email.

Sunday, 12 April 2015

As you may well be aware, QPR took on the mighty Chelsea in the west London derby this afternoon (Sunday) and lost 1-0 to virtually the last kick of the game - the Blues' only shot on target.

I thought former England manager Graham Taylor, who was summarising on the radio, was going to cry so aggrieved did he seem with the result.

Before the game I said to friends that I felt this could be the pivotal point of the season - a win or even a draw would have given QPR's players great heart and belief as they went into the final five games.

Sadly I feel the manner of this defeat, which left some players visibly devastated could have the opposite effect - perhaps more than a comprehensive defeat which most people would have expected.

Only time will tell.

On the non-league side of things, Harrow Borough's lengthy unbeaten run came to an end on Saturday at the hands of bottom club Bury Town - a team so bad, they had already been relegated. Although Boro remain outside the relegation places, it's only on goal difference so the final two league games will be a nervy affair.

Coming soon...

The high point of the weekend, however, was meeting up with German TLFG reader Christoph who was visiting from Freiburg. Along with his friend Daniel from Munich, he's here for a five-day feast of London football spanning last Friday to this coming Tuesday.

With visits to Fulham and AFC Wimbledon completed, I met him ahead of his visit to the aforementioned QPR v Chelsea game and gave him a tour of W12 taking in the sights of Shepherd's Bush Green, Westfield, the now closed BBC TV Centre, the 1908 Olympic heritage at the other BBC campus further up Wood Lane and a general walk around QPR's ground and surrounding streets giving a bit of background to club and the match in question and pointing out my former flat opposite the turnstiles on Ellerslie Road.

As a result of his love of football here in the capital, he's made a move into sports book publishing and has set up his own house/label called 'pretty good books' who among other things will be publishing a German translation of Dutch TLFG reader Paul's book 'Match Days' which I've frequently mentioned on here before.

Not only this but he's working on a German language football guide book to London with the inspired title 'Der London Fussball Guide' - hmmm, maybe I should get royalties?

Anyway, it was a pleasure to meet him and Christoph, if you're reading, good luck and I'm sure I'll see you again soon.

UPDATE 17/04/15: We love a 'Pay What You Want' deal at TLFG and we've only recently discovered that Hampton & Richmond Borough are running such a promotion for their Isthmian League match against Bury Town tomorrow (Saturday) so give it your support if you're free.

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

Please follow this link or click on the tab at the top of the page for all the information you need about how to get a ticket, what's currently available to non-members at London's biggest clubs and any other special offers or promotions which might be running.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are 90 matches in the London area over the next seven days so there's plenty to choose from whatever your budget.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you traveljust in case a game has been called offor venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found in the following match map. If you've never used it before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the left side of the map page to make sure you get all the information.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

Next up is this week's TLFG match recommendations where I list a few games which I think could be worth a watch. If I miss one that you think should get a mention then add your own in the comments section below.

TLFG TOP 10

1. Chelsea v Manchester United - after successfully earning wins in tricky looking derby games on Sunday, these two giants of the English game meet at Stamford Bridge this weekend. Personally I think it's a disgrace that this match has been scheduled to take place at the same time as the FA Cup semi-final mentioned below, it shouldn't even be on the same day but what do the TV barons care? With that grumble out of the way, this match will give Chelsea an almost unassailable 10-point lead over Arsenal if they win with United left even further behind. Quite simply the Blues could effectively, though not mathematically, win the title here and United could lose any chance of catching them. (Premier League, Saturday 18 April, 530pm. Ticket info)

2. Arsenal v Reading - we've come to that time of the year when only four teams remain in the FA Cup. Now played over a weekend, both semi-final ties are held at Wembley and we get under way on Saturday with a match which looks easy to predict - in theory. The Gunners are second in the top flight, reigning FA Cup champions and are in spectacular form with 10 wins from their last 11 in all competitions. The Royals, however, are winless in five in the Championship and are generally having a season to forget. Somehow they've managed to get to the final four of this competition without meeting Premier League opposition and needed a replay to get past League One side Bradford in the last round. Surely there can only be one winner - right? (FA Cup semi-final, Saturday 18 April, 520pm. Tickets are only available from the participating clubs)

3. Aston Villa v Liverpool - the following day we have what should be a much more closely contested match. For both sides, this represents their only remaining chance of silverware this season. Interestingly, Villa and the Reds have both won seven times so they both have plenty of pedigree in the competition. However, Liverpool must start as favourites - they are the better side and won at Villa Park when they last played in January. Tim Sherwood's team are also not quite safe from relegation so the new man in the hot-seat might have half an eye on protecting his players for the last few league games - let's face it, for winning the FA Cup you get a cheque for £1.8m which is chicken feed compared to what you get for staying in the Premier League. (FA Cup semi-final, Sunday 19 April, 3pm. Tickets are only available from the participating clubs)

4. Millwall v Wigan Athletic - there are some perhaps more attractive games in the Championship this week but this one will be more decisive for the two clubs involved. Both are level pegging in the bottom three and need to win to have any chance of realistically avoiding the drop. If fellow strugglers Rotherham win at Fulham the following night, the losers of this game will be left nine points adrift. Mathematically defeat won't be terminal for either but with less than a handful of games to go, the writing will be on the wall. (Championship, Tuesday 14 April, 745pm. Ticket info)

5. Bromley v Weston-Super-Mare - with the regular season coming to an end for most of our local non-league competitions over the next two weeks, many big issues could get resolved over the next few days. The first is the Conference South title which, as it stands, looks likely to be heading to Bromley on the south-east side of town. They've been neck and neck with north London rivals Boreham Wood all season and crucially beat them last weekend. Despite this they are only two points clear with two games to go. However, The Wood have played a game more meaning that if the Ravens win here then glory will be theirs and a place in the Conference National will await them next season. West Country side WSM are at the wrong end of the table but have avoided relegation so have nothing to play for. At this stage only nerves can deny Bromley but it is effectively the biggest match in their history as they have never played above this level. It's huge for all concerned. (Conference South, Saturday 18 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

6. Dulwich Hamlet v Maidstone United - a little over six miles to the north west, we have another monster of a game which could see the Isthmian League title decided. Dulwich and Maidstone, in terms of attendance, are the two biggest clubs in the division and a few weeks ago both were in contention for the championship. As a result, the powers that be at Champion Hill declared that this match should be made All-Ticket as demand would probably outstrip supply. Sadly for the Hamlet they went on a pretty dodgy run and fell out of the title race, so much so that this match will actually decide whether or not they make the play-offs! Given their current four-point cushion they'll probably be fine but they can't take any chances. Since losing at second-placed Hendon last weekend, Maidstone have put themselves back in the driving seat and know that all they need to do is better the Greens' result at Grays to claim a place in the Conference South. Matching it will effectively also give them the title as they have a vastly superior goal difference. Don't forget, this is still All-Ticket, which means you need to purchase in advance to attend - online options are available. I've got mine. (Isthmian League Premier Division, Saturday 18 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

7. Erith & Belvedere v Phoenix Sports - at Park View Road not only have we got another possible title decider but it's a local derby as well. Phoenix have topped the Southern Counties East League for ages but for a long time they were being pushed hard by near neighbours E&B. The latter have fallen away to third but are mathematically still in with a chance of toppling them with four games to go. Really it should all be over already but Phoenix made a right mess of Saturday's home game against second-placed Ashford who came from behind with 10 men to win with an 89th-minute goal. That result means that a win for Ashford in their game against Sevenoaks the previous night will keep the title race alive no matter what happens here but if they drop any points then a Phoenix win will prove decisive. (Southern Counties East League, Wednesday 15 April, 745pm. Ticket info)

8. Haringey Borough v Bowers & Pitsea - as a result of bad weather both these title-chasing sides have three re-arranged league games to play (one for HB and two for B&P) before this match takes place on Saturday. Consequently this could be an Essex Senior League title decider between the top two or a match between the champions and the third-placed team depending on how things go. Aside from a couple of brief weeks, Haringey have led all the way and it would take a spectacular collapse to see them come unstuck. It is, though, still possible. Watch the results as the week progresses to see how significant this match becomes. (Essex Senior League, Saturday 18 April, 3pm. Club info)

9. Molesey v Camberley Town - at the time of writing these are the only two clubs with a realistic chance of winning the Combined Counties League title. Although Camberley are currently six points clear, they have played three games more than the Moles. The hosts travel to Colliers Wood in midweek so could close the gap to three. As above, there are several permutations affecting the significance of this game but defeat for Molesey at The Wibbandune and in this one would effectively hand the visitors the title. (Combined Counties League Premier Division, Saturday 18 April, 3pm. Club info)

10. Farleigh Rovers v Worcester Park - in the division below, long-term leaders Farleigh know a draw against third place Worcester Park will be enough to seal the divisional crown. An Easter victory over closest rivals AFC Croydon Athletic made almost sure of things but the Rams' win over CB Hounslow on Saturday kept their hopes alive for another week. If they do get the required result, the celebrations will no doubt be tinged with some disappointment as their ground doesn't meet the standards required for promotion so Croydon will probably enjoy the last laugh as theirs does and three teams can go up. (Combined Counties League Division 1, Saturday 18 April, 3pm. Club info)

If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or email.

Tuesday, 7 April 2015

Apologies for the late publication this week. I had my first Easter weekend off in years and took full advantage with a couple of live games and some other days out with the family.

How many games did you cram in? It was possible to see three on Monday alone if you'd got yourself well organised.

Personally I spent my time indulging in Isthmian League action as the race for the title and play-off places really hotted up.

On Saturday I took my two-year old daughter to her first ever proper fee-paying football match (i.e. not a kickabout in the park). It was also doubly challenging as I had to take her on public transport in her buggy on a route that was as far from step-free as it was almost possible to be.

The match I chose was the top of the table clash between Hendon and Maidstone United.

The Greens have been in the Isthmian League's top flight without being promoted or relegated since 1963 which I think is some kind of record.

In recent years they have led a nomadic existence since the loss of their Claremont Road home and their support and finances have suffered as a result.

Sam Murphy scores Hendon's winner at Earlsmead

Despite this they have somehow put themselves in a position where if they win their remaining games, the title will be theirs and their 52-year stay in the Isthmian League will be over.

Maidstone started the game as league leaders and being a much bigger club, with regular crowds in excess of 2,000, this was a real David v Goliath contest.

On the day, United's supporters outnumbered Hendon's by approximately three to one (att. 759) and things looked ominous when they took a deserved lead in the 15th minute. It was pretty much one-way traffic until shortly before the interval when the hosts drew level with a fine free-kick.

The second half saw Hendon come much more into it and they took the lead from the spot after a professional foul left Maidstone a goal and a man down.

The Kent club showed little sign of being affected by this disadvantage and created a number of chances to equalise but failed.

The result still left Hendon five points behind but with two games in hand, the title is theirs for the taking.

The Hamlet have been among the leading pack all season but a sticky patch over the last month or so had left them fearing for their play-off place.

A team to have emerged from midtable at the last moment after a pretty average start to the campaign, Enfield were suddenly breathing down their necks only a point behind.

Despite their lower ranking, many would've fancied the in-form north Londoners to have won here to push Dulwich out of the way.

Maybe it was my presence as a lucky mascot but things started really positively for the hosts and they made it to half-time with a commanding 2-0 lead.

Brad Quinton's side didn't give up though and pulled one back during a second half which got increasingly desperate and dirty - a brawl led to one of the visitors being sent off at one point.

Like Maidstone, Enfield kept battling and the nerves around a busy Champion Hill (att. 1,204) were really jangling when the referee announced eight minutes of injury time.

Gavin Rose's side saw the game out though to give themselves a four-point cushion over the non play-off places which with three games to go should be just be enough.

Hendon and Dulwich go head-to-head this Saturday in another massively important game for both so I strongly recommend a visit to Earlsmead if you're looking for something to do.

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

Please follow this link or click on the tab at the top of the page for all the information you need about how to get a ticket, what's currently available to non-members at London's biggest clubs and any other special offers or promotions which might be running.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 70 matches in the London area over the next seven days so there's plenty to choose from whatever your budget.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you traveljust in case a game has been called offor venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found in the following match map. If you've never used it before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the left side of the map page to make sure you get all the information.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

Next up is this week's TLFG match recommendations where I list a few games which I think could be worth a watch. If I miss one that you think should get a mention then add your own in the comments section below.

TLFG TOP 10

1. Queens Park Rangers v Chelsea - it's west London derby time again. This is the game which QPR fans always look out for in June when the fixtures are revealed. The Blues are without doubt the most hated team for fans of the W12 club and recent unsavoury incidents like that which saw John Terry in court following a verbal exchange with Anton Ferdinand show how heated these games can become. For most Chelsea fans, however, Rangers are becoming little more than an annoying cousin who needs to be put in his place once in a while. However, it doesn't always work out that way and over the last three years or so QPR have been one of the teams that have given them quite a bit of difficulty. Jose Mourinho's side come into this game without top scorer Diego Costa and Rangers put in their best performance of the season on Saturday at West Brom. Chelsea must avoid complacency at all cost otherwise they could come unstuck against what should be a highly motivated QPR. (Premier League, Sunday 12 April, 130pm. Ticket info)

2. Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa - this match will have a bearing on both ends of the table but is probably most notable for marking the return of former Spurs boss Tim Sherwood as Villa manager. Having been somewhat harshly removed from his position at White Hart Lane, he will undoubtedly have a point to prove. Having lost eight of their last 10 games, Villa also badly need the points to avoid the drop. Tottenham still have an outside chance of making the top four and have won their last six against the Birmingham club so should triumph here. (Premier League, Saturday 11 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

3. Charlton Athletic v Fulham - on Tuesday we've got a derby in the Championship. With the Addicks tucked snugly into midtable and with absolutely nothing to play for, this game is all about the Cottagers and whether they can pick up the points they need to keep them away from the bottom three. Dangling just above it, things look worse than they are as they have a seven-point cushion over Millwall just below them. With six games left they can be caught but a point here would be useful. The good news for the west Londoners is that they are unbeaten in seven against Charlton and triumphed 3-0 when they last met in October. (Championship, Tuesday 7 April, 745pm. Ticket info)

4. Millwall v Watford - the Lions looked finished recently but with Neil Harris now in charge, things have started to pick up. Now undefeated in three and with a derby win over Charlton, Millwall can potentially catch the teams immediately above them. It will take a Herculean effort to pull it off and with title chasing Watford the next to visit it's not getting off to an easy start. The Hornets have become a little inconsistent of late but are still only one point behind leaders Bournemouth and have a very good record against the Bermondsey side. This has real potential to entertain. (Championship, Saturday 11 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

5. Barnet v FC Halifax Town - dropping down to Conference level, local side Barnet are still on course for the title and a return to the Football League. After a wobble which let Bristol Rovers and Grimsby Town into the race for top spot, the Bees kept hold of pole position with a 1-0 win at struggling Dartford on Monday. Halifax are unbeaten in nine and consequently also in with a chance of promotion. However, they've drawn eight of those games so are still only down in eighth. They've also done well against the Bees over the last couple of seasons so should be very dangerous opponents. (Conference National, Saturday 11 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

6. Dartford v Nuneaton Town - this match represents a last throw of the dice for the Darts who will get relegated if they don't win. Even if they do, if Alfreton draw at Eastleigh it will all be over. Nuneaton are also up to their necks in it and will have to win to ensure they don't also drop down a level too. In short it's a fight to the death which could end up with both combatants snuffing it. The last match between them saw Dartford win 2-1 so they've got hope. (Conference National, Saturday 11 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

7. Hendon v Dulwich Hamlet - the Greens had a great weekend as they enjoyed back-to-back wins over league leaders Maidstone and local rivals Wingate & Finchley. These results mean the title is theirs to win because of the games in hand they have. If they do end up winning, it should be one of the sports stories of the year. Averaging crowds of around 200, without their own ground and with meagre finances they are currently on a 16-game unbeaten run which has been crammed into just eight weeks! This match against fellow promotion rivals Dulwich will be their fourth in seven days, all of them against tough opponents. Hamlet, on the other hand, are a much bigger club who regularly pull in crowds of 1,000+ and have been in the leading pack all season. However, of late they've had a major wobble going on a five-game winless streak. They finally stopped this trend with a crucial win over Enfield on Monday but with this and other tough fixtures to come, they can't let up yet. Huge game for both. (Isthmian League Premier Division, Saturday 11 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

8. Phoenix Sports v Ashford United - the game of the weekend across all our local Step 5 leagues sees the top two in the Southern Counties East League lock horns for what could well be the title decider. Phoenix have been top for most of the season and appear to be a club going places. I watched them three years ago in the season they finished runners-up to Bly Spartans in the Kent Invicta League. A year later they won it and moved up to the SCEFL where they've added floodlights and other ground improvements which will see them almost certainly join the Isthmian League next season. On Saturday a win here will give them the title but anything else will surely just be delaying the inevitable given their 11-point lead. (Southern Counties East League, Saturday 11 April, 3pm. Club info)

9. Ilford v Barking - a bit further north across the Thames, this East End derby could decide who wins the Essex Senior League. Barking have pushed leaders Haringey Borough pretty hard this season but got firmly put in their place on Saturday as they were swept aside 4-0 at Coles Park. To be in with a chance of prolonging their title challenge they will have to win at Cricklefields and hope Boro lose. Given Haringey have a midweek game in hand at Basildon, Barking could find themselves eight points adrift coming into this game with only three to play so this really is their last chance. Ilford won't make it easy either - it is a derby and they won the reverse fixture 2-1. (Essex Senior League, Saturday 11 April, 3pm. Club info)

10. AFC Croydon Athletic v CB Hounslow United - like the previous game, the result of this match could see the title handed to someone else. The hosts have been there or thereabouts for a while now and I thought either they or Worcester Park would catch Farleigh but it hasn't happened. With two games to go, the Rams are second but six points adrift therefore a win is essential in this one. If Farleigh do implode in their final two games then Croydon's vastly superior goal difference could still see them come out on top so there could be a final twist. (Combined Counties League Division 1, Saturday 11 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or email.

About Me

I'm a QPR fan and follower of Harrow Borough in the Isthmian League.
In 2010 I set up Non-League Day to help promote semi-professional and grassroots football. I'm hoping that TLFG will help provide a similar boost for football clubs around the capital.
I also worked at BBC Sport for 10 years before it relocated to Salford but decided not to go, such was my love of London.